Marissa's Closet takes its name from Marissa McLeod, a popular teen who took her life in 2009 at the age of 17. The loss of her only daughter devastated Melinda Shaw. But in the midst of her grief, the distraught mother decided to continue a project Marissa had begun in her junior year, when the teen collected and distributed more than 200 prom dresses.

In its first year, Marissa's Closet collected 1,500 dresses and renovated a vacant building.

Today, the 5,000-square-foot store has pictures of Marissa along the walls - a cheerleading outfit in one, a bright smile in another. There are shoes, handbags and more than 1,200 dresses in a rainbow of colors. There are no price tags.

The mission of Marissa's Closet has expanded along with its size. About six months after starting the nonprofit firm, a girl came to meet Shaw and look at pictures of Marissa. The visitor began to share her own thoughts of self-harm and suicide.

"She felt a bond," Shaw said. "That's kind of when I said 'Okay, I'm missing something. There's another piece I need to do.' "

The organization raised about $16,000 to purchase a permanent location in Ripon. Shaw hopes to relocate soon and open the Marissa Alexandria Center in August, offering free counseling services.

"With (bullying), suicides, depression, cutting ... all those things hitting the Valley as hard as they have, we don't really have a place where kids can just go and talk to someone," Shaw said. "I don't want a parent to ever feel the pain or hurt that I feel."

Shaw wasn't able to attend her own senior ball; she was in labor at the time. For 17 years, she said, she dreamed of watching Marissa step into a gown.

"She didn't make it to her senior ball," Shaw said, her voice catching. "So every time we help a girl go to senior ball or prom, it's like a piece of us goes with them."